Poio. Mount Castrove and Golf course. Horses
About this heritage
Mount Castrove is in the province of Pontevedra and is the administrative boundary between the counties of Barro, Meis, Pontevedra, and Poio.
In the mount Castrove, known as the Columbus forest; it is a forest of Sequoias unique in Galicia. It is necessary to go back to the year 1992, to the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in America and George Bush senior. He, fulfilling the resolution H.J.: Res. 529, agrees to give Spaniards 500 red sequoia (Sequoia sempevirens) plants as a symbol of the brotherhood between the Old and the New World.
The Meis golf course is on Mount Escusa and was inaugurated on May 17, 2000. It has 17 championship holes. The course is owned by the Mount Castrove Foundation, which includes the counties of Meis, Meaño, Ribadumia, Vilanova of Arousa, Vilagarcía of Arousa, Barro, Pontevedra, Cambados, Sanxenxo, and the Chan of Fento Golf Club. The golf course is on the natural course flanked by pine trees, wide lanes, lakes, and natural obstacles, as well as astonishing views of the Arosa and Pontevedra estuaries.
In numerous mountains of Galicia, horses run freely, and on Mount Escusa this is no exception, and every year an ancestral rite called "Rapa das Bestas" (as the inhabitants of the Castros had done) was held, in the They gather in a "curro" (closed space) to mark the wild foals and shave and loot the horses.
To learn more
Mount Castrove is a mountain with peaks that reach up to 600 meters, the highest being 613 meters. From them, one can contemplate panoramic views of the Salnés Valley and the Pontevedra estuary. In its highest part has forests, followed by an agrarian strip and the coast, where the 17,000 residents of Poio live their daily lives. This town borders with Sanxenxo and Pontevedra.
The Columbus forest or sequoia forest extends for more than 2 hectares, located on the ascent to the mountain and the largest in Europe. It has tremendous scenic interest being an opportunity for nature lovers.
Of the 500 sequoias initially planted, some exceed 20 meters, pointing out that this species offers faster annual growth after the first 15 years. The result is a little over 2 hectares of sequoias, which as a whole make a stunning natural corner with phenomenal views of the Pontevedra estuary.
In the Escusa mount, the "Rapa das bestas" is celebrated every year at the end of August. It dates back to 1980 and consists of gathering the wild horses in a circular enclosure covered in stone and with an earthen floor called "curro." Once there, the "aloitadores" are in charge of capturing the horses to mark and clean them, and then, cut their manes. For this ritual, these "aloitadores" only use their strength, in a body-to-body struggle with the animal. It is a unique spectacle not to be missed.
To know it better
Mount Castrove, high up on the peninsula of O Salnés, has spectacular views of the Pontevedra and the Arousa estuaries. We can also find the golf course of Meis, one of the best in Galicia.
At the top, we can enjoy a full-day excursion, as it has grills, benches, tables, and a recreational area that will help us to disconnect and experience nature. Near the summit, we find a small lagoon and the remains of an ancient chapel of Romanesque origin.
In this mountain, 300 horses used to graze, but currently, there are only a hundred left, as many stockbreeders are selling their animals due to problems with farmers and with the mountain/forest communities. As a result, wild horses are becoming extinct in these mountains.
Poio is a county in the center of the province of Pontevedra of about 34 km ² and has five areas: San Salvador, San Xoán, Combarro, Samieira, and Raxó.
Gallery
Location
- Locality
- Poio
- Municipality
- Poio
- Province
- Pontevedra
- Country
- Spain
The asset
- Type
- Hill
- Eco-destination
- Ría de Pontevedra
- Environment
- Rural
- Relevance
- Internacional
How to get there
- Access
- By sea By land
- Distance
- 12,300km
The visit
- Visitable
- Yes
- Accessible
- No
- Parking
- Sí
Coordinates
- Latitud
- 42.48275100
- Longitud
- -8.70241900